3 more mantis out of my tank today. 2 live 1 dead. Anyone want one in Seattle?

[Splach]

3 more mantis out of my tank today. 2 live 1 dead. Anyone want one in Seattle?

 

[1diverdown]

how did you get them out? i think i have one in my reef that is eating all my small fish. i hear him whenever the lights are out.

thanks
Doug

 

[Splach]

I have found that their favorite treat is barnicles (mine are bashers, not spearers). I have also heard that if they eat fish that they are not bashers so this may not work for you. What I did was place a couple of the smaller (10-15 lb) rocks with encrusted barnicles where I could reach them easily. On spying a mantis on the rock I pulled it out and set it on my desk. Make sure to keep track of which tunnel they are hiding in. I then squirted the tunnel with 5 ml of seltzer water. The big one wouldn't come out after several squirts and I finally had to go in with tweezers (it didn't make it out in one piece). The two little ones came out IMMEDIATELY with a single squirt of 5 ml of seltzer water.

 

[1diverdown]

thanks for the tip. unfortunately, i have 600lbs of rock in my reef, and i'm pretty sure the menace is in the back left corner. figures. it's got squatters' rights. i'll see if i can get some barnacles and lure him out that way.

Doug

 

[Splach]

Prior to my luck with this method I also was trying something someone else mentioned:

feeding the mantis in the same spot for several days (mine snapped at silverside pieces on a piece of rigid tubing). Then put the bottle in the same place for several days with the food at the mouth. Then put the bottle in with the food inside. This might be a way to work, my bottle traps never did any good.

 

[venwu225]

Hi I live in seattle and I would love a mantis, more than one of possible. Friends and I already have a complete setup: 10 gallon over filtered, Power compacts, lots of live rocks. How can i get in touch with you?

MZ